Automobile starting circuit



Nov. 14, 1961 E. J. JANECZKO ET AL 3,009,057

AUTOMOBILE STARTING CIRCUIT Filed Sept. 2, 1958 I wg .mlwm

United States Patent 3,009,067 AUTOMOBILE STARTING CIRCUIT Edward J. Ilaneczko, 2540 Ridge Ave., Lansing, Ill., and Stanley C. Rzonca, 832 Cambridge Ave., Elmhurst, Ill.

' Filed Sept. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 758,500

3 Claims. (Cl. 290-38) This invention concerns a control circuit for starting an internal combustion engine automatically at a preset time and is specifically adaptable for automatically starting an automobile engine.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a circuit for starting an engine at a pre-set time for warming up an engine before a load is engaged with the engine to minimize engine wear.

Another object of this invention is to provide a circuit for starting an engine automatically that will limit engine running time, once i-t has started, if unattended for a predetermined time.

Another object of this invention is also to limit the time during which the engine is cranked by the starter, to prevent excessive battery discharge in case the engine doesnt start within a pre-determined time.

Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic engine starting circuit that provides for cranking the engine at pre-determined intervals and interrupts the star-ter motor circuit when the engine starts.

A further object of this invention is to provide a control circuit for automatically starting an automobile engine at a pre-set time so that the engine is warmed up before driving and the heater and defroster circuits are automatically energized when the engine starts, for the safety land comfort of the automobile occupants.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and the drawing in which:

The iigure is a schematic drawing of the control circuit embodying the invention.

In the drawing a timer designated generally by broken lines at 1 has a dual set of contact points 2 and 3 which are normally open until the timer reaches a pre-set time for operation of the control circuit. The timer may be an electric clock, many of which are in wide use commercially and should require no further explanation except to say that it is desirable to have a timer that closes the two contacts 2 and 3 at the pre-set time and keeps them closed for a predetermined time interval.

A circuit is provided for conducting electrical energy to a starter motor and ignition coil operatively associated with the engine. As shown in the drawing, when contacts 2 `and 3 close, current is conducted from the battery 4 through closed switches 5 and 6, through contact 2, through closed circuit breaker 7 to point 8 wherefrom the electrical energy is divided, line 8a providing energy for the ignition coil 9 of the engine to be started (not shown), and line 8b providing a path of current through switch 10a, then through intermittent circuit breaker 11,

which is normally closed, and then to the starter motor 12, energizing the starter motor through ground 13\.

As current is drawn through the circuit there will be two other splittings of electrical energy at points 7a and 11a through resistances 7b and 11b to grounds 7c and 11c respectively. The function of each of these branch circuits is hereinafter described.

The entire circuit to the starting motor will be interrupted if the engine fails to start within a given time. Circuit breaker 7 which is normally closed as shown in thedrawing, limits the time of attempted starting to prevent excessive battery discharge n case of a faulty engine. Resistance 7b is made of high resistance wire and serves as a heater for circuit breaker 7 which is designed to keep the starting circuit closed for a limited time. If the engine is not started within the prescribed 3,009,067 Patented Nov. 14, 1961 ICC time, for example 2 minutes, the circuit breaker 7 opens and remains open so that the complete starting circuit is interrupted. If the engine fails to start and circuit breaker 7 opens, a reset button 7d is provided to manually close the circuit breaker again. Resistance 7d is connected to ground 7c through switch 10b. When the engine has not yet started, switch 10b is in the position shown in the drawing, as will be hereafter explained.

The circuit provides means for short successive energization of the starter motor. This is accomplished as follows: as current passes through intermittent circuit breaker 11 and through contact points 11d to the starter motor 12, current branches off at point 11a and passes through resistance y11b to ground 11C. Resistance 11b is also made of high resistance wire and is used to heat the bi-metallic strip 11e causing an opening of contact points 11d. As contact points 11d open, the circuit to the starter motor 12 and the circuit through resistance 11b are both interrupted, deenergizing the starter motor and allowing resistance 11b to cool. As resistance 11b cools, contacts 11d again complete the circuit to the starter motor and resistance 11b because of the cooling of bimetallic strip 11e causing contacts 11d to close. Current passing through intermittent circuit breaker 11 then will alternately energize and dcenergize the starter motor for the desired duration of engine cranking.

It has been found that a cycle of 6 seconds of cranking of the engine and 6 seconds of rest is desirable for starting an automobile engine with this circuit. If a total starting of 2 minu-tes is permitted by circuit breaker 7, this would allow ten starting attempts before the starting circuit is broken by circuit breaker 7.

`It should be understood that the resistance values of 7b and 11b can be varied to meet the timing requirements of the specific type engine to be started. Both types of timed circuit breakers 7 and L1 are commercially available with varying time durations of operation.

Before the engine starts, switches 10a land 10b are in the position shown in the drawing by solid lines, completing the circuit from resistance 7b through switch 10b and completing the starter circuit through switch 10a. When the engine starts, current is produced by the generator 15 and flows into the voltage regulator 14, then lthrough closed contacts 3I in the timer and then to relay solenoid 10, energizing the relay and passing to ground at 7c. Switches 10u and 10b are ganged and drawn to the right when the solenoid is energized as shown in the drawing by broken lines. The heating circuit for circuit breaker 7 is opened through switch 10b, permitting current iiow through circuit breaker 7 for the full time interval that contacts 2 and 3 in the timer are kept closed.

Switch 10a opens the starter circuit as it is moved to the righ-t and makes a connection at 16a, supplying current to laccessory motor 16 to ground 16b. This accessory motor may be the heater and defroster motor of an automobile to warm up the automobile interior in cold weather.

Switch 6 is a manual switch `for completely cutting out the automatic starting circuit when desired. Switch 5 may be operatively attached to a gear shift so that the starting circuit will not operate unless the engine is disengaged from a load. In the case of an automobile the switch may be connected to the gear shift 17 so that the automobile engine will not run if shifted into gear by la thief or any other unauthorized person. Ordinarily, the automobile may be securely locked and the starting circuit operates automatically until a key is placed in the ignition and turned on by-passing the starting circuit.

If the engne is started and unattended for more than the pre-determined time interval, the engine will run only while contacts 2 and 3 are closed. For an automobile engine 15 minutes of running time would be practical for warming up the engine and the interior of the car. At the end of this time interval contacts 2 and 3 are opened by the timer and the control circuit is interrupted, stopping the engine. v

The control circuit for starting an automobile engine may be `connected to the ignition switch, depicted in broken lines 18, at contacts 19, 20` and 21 leading to the battery 4, ignition coil 9, and starter motor 12, respectively. Circuit breakers 7 and 11, relay 10 and switch 6 may all be located within the timer housing, resulting in a compact control unit that could be installed in the glove compartment or under the instrument panel of an automobile. Plug-in type connections may be provided for easy installation and removal.

The foregoing description of the invention has been for illustrative purposes only and no unnecessary limitations should be derived therefrom as `some modification is possible within the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A control circuit for starting an engine having a source of electrical energy and a starting motor, comprising: a first thermally actuated timer having switch contacts connected in the circuit between said source and motor, and a heater connected through said contacts across `said source; a second thermally actuated timer having switch contacts connected in the circuit between the contacts of the irst timer and the motor and a heater connected through both sets of contacts across said source, the period of operation of said second thermally actuated Atimer being a fraction of the period of operation of the first thermally actuated timer; and a relay responsive to operation of said engine and having contacts associated therewith connected in series with the heater of said first thermally actuated timer for interrupting the circuit of the heater upon operation of the engine.

2. The control circuit of claim l, wherein said relay also has a double-throw switch connected therewith wit-h its movable pole connected through the contacts of the iirst thermally actuated timer with said source and movable upon actuation of the relay from a first position serially connecting the contacts of the second thermally actuated timer in the control circuit to a second position connecting an accessory motor through the contacts of the rst thermally actuated timer with said source.

3. A control circuit lfor starting an engine having a source of electrical energy and a starting motor, comprising: a iirst thermallf)l actuated timer having switch contacts connected in the circuit ybetween said source and motor, and a heater connected through said contacts across said source; `and a second thermally actuated timer having switch contacts connected in the circuit between the contacts of the rst timer and the motor and a heater connected through both sets of contacts across said source, the period of operation of said second thermally actuated timer being a fraction of the period of operation of the tirst thermally actuated timer, said control circnit including a clock timer and contacts operated by the clock timer connected between said source and the contacts of said rst thermally -actuated timer.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,197,726 Johnson Apr. 16, 1940 2,374,251 Wallace Apr. 24, 1945 2,650,987 Doyle Sept. 1, 1953 2,698,391 Braden et al. Dec. 28, 1954 2,791,699 Taylor May 7, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 554,936 Canada Mar. 25, 1958 

